High vehicles, e.g. SUVs, often have their bumper beam higher than that of an ordinary passenger car. In a collision between two vehicles which have bumper beams at different heights, the two bumper beams tend to slide on one another, with the result that one vehicle slips under the other and the bumper beams in such a collision do not function in the intended manner to absorb energy by deformation.
As illustrated by FIG. 1 of the drawing, the bumper beam 10 is generally bow-shaped and extends downwardly from attachment surfaces at the ends of the bumper beam towards the longitudinal center of the bumper beam.